The Seattle Pacific University shooting

I’m sure by now we’ve all heard about the shooting at Seattle Pacific University where four students were shot and unfortunately one of them died at the hospital. I used to post these stories as soon as they happened then I realized it was better to wait a day so all the fallacies that are usually involved with shootings like this can filter themselves out. Even a day later while most of the information has been made available there are still some conflicting reports.

What we do know is that 26-year-old Aaron Ybarra entered the school armed with a shotgun and began firing. Four people were struck before he could reload and while reloading he was subdued by several students including a monitor who pepper-sprayed him. We do know that Ybarra was not a student of the school. What we don’t know yet is motive.

Some reports are saying that he was obsessed with Columbine while others say he merely researched it. There has also been conflicting reports that he had previously visited Columbine itself while others say he didn’t. Does this make a difference? To me it does. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if he was the Columbine fanboy as some of the reports say that he is. He’d be far from the first and probably not the last. My only surprise is that he’s 26. While not the oldest mutant ever that’s pretty old to still be worshiping the Columbine cowards.

Some reports are saying that he was a nice guy, which we’ve heard about way too many killers, while others have described him as angry, anti-social and disaffected. Also not surprisingly he lived with his parents.

Yesterday there were also reports of a second gunman. Ever since Columbine every one of these shootings have had reports of a second gunmen that never turn out to be true but keep the conspiracy nuts busy. Police reported that there was confusion about a second gunman because of one of the students who was trying to disarm Ybarra.

There have also been reports that Ybarra was socially awkward so don’t be surprised if Asperger’s starts being used as a defense or an excuse. By now you should already know my feelings about that. Asperger’s does not turn people into killers.

I haven’t heard the bullying trope yet either. Even if he was bullied in school so what? He’s been out of high school for at least 7 or 8 years and since he didn’t go to high school at SPU it shouldn’t matter. If you’re still obsessing about your bullies into your late 20s you’ve let them win.

I’m sure the motive will be just like most school shootings. Some guy with an over-inflated sense of entitlement feels that the world owes him something so rather than owning up to his own failures takes it out in violence.

I’m glad that he was taken alive. Too many of these scumbags take the coward’s way out before they can face justice. Unfortunately the governor of Washington has put a moratorium on death sentences.